Operation HOPE (HOPE) recently announced the addition of Jim Clifton, chief executive officer of the Gallup Organization to its National Board of Directors. With this appointment, Mr. Clifton becomes Operation HOPE’s newest ambassador for its youth economic energy (youth entrepreneurship and job creation) campaign, which provides programs and resources to promote global dignity and free enterprise in underserved communities.

In 2010 Operation HOPE and Gallup formed a game-changing partnership around the measurement of economic energy in America's youth. With this partnership came a 5 million dollar commitment from Gallup to America's schools through HOPE and 100 year commitment to host the annual Gallup-HOPE Index Forum, reporting out to national leaders on the level of increased economic energy of our youth.

As a board member for HOPE, Mr. Clifton’s areas of focus will include wiring America's schools for economic energy measurement and metrics and pulling the trigger on the Gallup-HOPE Index partnership and Gallup 100 year commitment around same.

"Jim Clifton is a great American, an example of operational excellence, and the nations premiere leader on the future of jobs and job creation. We are honored to have him on our board as we embark upon nurturing the next generation of job creators and converting every young American into a national asset." said HOPE Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John Hope Bryant. "I strongly suggest that every leader read his book The Coming Jobs War."

Clifton’s most recent innovation, the Gallup World Poll, is designed to give the world’s 6 billion citizens a voice in key global issues. Clifton has pledged to continue this effort to collect people’s opinions for 100 years in 150 countries.

Clifton serves on several boards and is Chairman of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He has received honorary degrees from a number of institutions, including a Doctor of Commerce degree from Bellevue University and Doctor of Humane Letters degrees from Medgar Evers College in New York and Jackson State University in Mississippi.

About Gallup Gallup delivers forward-thinking research, analytics, and advice to help leaders solve their most pressing problems. Combining more than 75 years of experience with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviors of the world's constituents, employees, and customers than any other organization.

About Operation HOPE Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been America’s leading financial literacy and empowerment social investment organization. Its national Board is comprised of some of the nation's most powerful executives, decision-makers, bankers and economists. These individuals play an essential role in driving HOPE’s Silver Rights Movement to expand economic opportunity, and make capitalism and free enterprise accessible to underserved communities. A complete 2012 list of HOPE's National Board may be viewed athttp://www.operationhope.org/smdev/clst20.php?id=165